[YHAOS]

”The Constitution also grants Congress the power to promote the arts and Sciences. Not teaching actual Science because it conflicts with someones religious beliefs is just as ridiculous as not having a military because having one would conflict with someones religious beliefs about pacifism.”

Article One. Section Eight. Clause Eight; To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries; . . .

The Constitution grants Congress the enumerated power to issue patents and copyrights. It does not extend any further powers with respect to education other than a limited power to indirectly aid the states in supporting higher education, as found in Article VI, the First Clause.

Quote mining the Constitution! A common practice these last seventy years.

Jefferson weeps.

[allmendream]

I was hardly quote mining the Constitution. It is not my fault that Congress has seen fit to pass laws that the President has signed and the Supreme Court has not found Unconstitutional that have expanded the original definition of the armed forces of these United States which were not to be a standing army, as well as the actions of the federal government in regards to what they do to promote Science and Education.

Is “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” a quote mine because I didn’t include the preliminary “a well regulated militia” or the conclusory “shall not be infringed”? It was for the sake of brevity, not an intention to deceive, I would hope that any true Conservative would be able to recognize the relevant section.

My point was that all the practices of the government of these United States will not align themselves with the religious sensibilities of all of its citizens. This does not in any way make the actions of the government of these United States an Unconstitutional abridgment of these citizens religious liberty. They are free to pray for an end to war, cry that the world is only 6,000 years old, claim Social Security numbers as the number of the Beast, and that Fluoride in the water will contaminate our precious bodily fluids. But that doesn’t make not kowtowing to their sensibilities an Unconstitutional abridgment of their religious liberty.

Among the limited enumerated powers of the Federal Government is the mandate to promote the Arts and Sciences, and yes, the specific power granted for this goal is the issuance of exclusive rights for a limited time.

Jefferson I think would be amazed that we lasted this long in any form, that we had a relatively peaceful coexistence after slavery was ended, and a dearth of the periodic revolutions that Jefferson envisioned. I think he would also be proud that we have become the preeminent world power without becoming an expansionist empire, but a fairly benevolent force for good and the spread and support of democracy and opposition to totalitarianism. I think he would be more proud than prone to tears if his shade were free to contemplate such things.